Call Management

The state of your business communication determines how customers interact with your business. Therefore, it is important to find the right PBX provider to improve connectivity and reliability. With countless PBX systems and providers out there, it is crucial to understand the factors influencing your IP-PBX cost and how to determine what type of PBX system your business needs.

Getting IP-PBX for Your Business

In this article, we will review:

• IP-PBX features
• Factors contributing to cloud PBX pricing
• Different types of IP-PBX systems, and
• IP-PBX cost breakdown.

IP-PBX Features

While providers offer different PBX features and services, most will offer a basic suite of features along with their IP-PBX service. When looking for a new provider, it helps to determine beforehand what features and tools your teams need to do their jobs well. The top IP-PBX features include:

• On-premise / Cloud PBX system
• Inbound and outbound voice calling
• Local, toll-free, international phone numbers
• VoIP functionality
• Advanced IVR / Auto-attendant
• Voicemail, email, fax
• Call reporting and records

Factors Contributing to IP-PBX Cost

Let’s dive into the top factors influencing your cloud PBX pricing:

1. Type of PBX system: on-premise or cloud PBX system
2. Open-source PBX
3. Hardware and equipment costs, if applicable
4. Installation and maintenance costs, if applicable
5. VoIP phone service cost
6. Training and onboarding

1. On-Premise vs Cloud PBX System

Your IP-PBX cost is largely based on the type of IP-PBX system you want: on-premise or cloud-based.

An on-premise PBX system is built, hosted, and maintained on-premise (in-office) by your IT team. You can use open-source PBX (more on this below), a free software, to build your on-premise system. Then, bring in the necessary hardware, talent (IT professionals), and a business VoIP solution to make the PBX system functional. This means that your business pays upfront for equipment and installation but is wholly responsible for maintaining and updating it, which can prove costly in the long run.

On the other hand, hosted PBX is a PBX system located in the cloud instead of a typical hardware PBX system. In this case, the system is hosted, maintained, and updated by your provider, typically an off-site data center. You pay a monthly fee to use the system via a public or private Internet connection, and you are only responsible for desk phones and a VoIP service connected to your cloud PBX system.

Here’s an IP-PBX cost breakdown for on-premise and cloud PBX systems:

2. Open-Source PBX

Your business may choose to use open source PBX to save on PBX system costs. Open-source PBX is a phone system available to the public for free under a General Public License (GNU). This type of PBX is made up of a Linux operating system and PBX software. As such, you can use this software to convert a computer or laptop into a business phone system.

You can run open-source PBX software online or on-site. The software is customizable and easy to download. You only need hardware (computers and phones) and a VoIP service to complete it. Open-source PBX software comes equipped with typical PBX features like voicemail, IVR / ACD, advanced call routing, and more.

Even though open source PBX is free, you will need a team of administrators and developers with a strong programming and telecom background to customize it for your business communication needs. They also need to understand the fundamentals of VoIP and legacy telephony.

So the costs of operating PBX with an open-source PBX software include:

• Hardware and installation costs
• VoIP service
• Skilled talent
• Training and onboarding

3. Hardware and Equipment Costs

Here’s a breakdown of hardware and equipment costs associated with a PBX system:

• On-premise PBX equipment — $5,000-10,000
• PBX license — $3000
• Computers — $300-3,000
• Hard drive space — VoIP servers run 80 GB to 160 GB SATA HDs.
• Phones:
  • IP phones and handsets — $100-400 per phone
  • Softphones (usually come with VoIP service) — $10-30/month of service

You will pay for all of this with an on-premise system. However, for a hosted PBX system, you will only pay for the phones, installation, and VoIP service (prices below).

4. Installation and Maintenance Costs

Here’s the general price range for PBX system installation and maintenance:

• On-premise PBX installation, recurring licensing, maintenance, and upgrades — $12,000
• Cloud PBX — $0-1000

5. VoIP Phone Service Cost

For a PBX system to work effectively, you need to pair it with a phone service. Here’s a breakdown of costs factored in hosted PBX services:

• LAN — $1,000
• Hosted VoIP phone service — $10-500/user/month
• SIP trunking service — $35-100/user/month

6. Training and Onboarding

This varies based on the type of system you get; some are easier to use than others. Based on the complexity of your system, you may or may not need additional training and onboarding.

How Much Does an IP-PBX Cost?

The best way to estimate the price of an IP-PBX system is to calculate on a “per-seat” basis, where “per-seat” is the number of phones or extensions needed. The larger the company, the lower the cost per seat. So, a PBX system for a 400 seat business will be much less than a 60 seat business.

Historically, IP-PBX costs range from $500-1,000 per seat. This range depends on the type of PBX system you use: on-premise, cloud, or open-source.

Hosted PBX costs range from $10-100 per user per month, depending on the services and geographies.

*Note: Costs mentioned in this article are current at the time of publishing and may be subject to changes.

Global Call Forwarding: IP-PBX Cost

Global Call Forwarding offers VoIP and international SIP trunking. You can easily plug our service into your existing PBX system (3CX, Cisco, etc.) or combine it with your open-source PBX set-up (Asterisk, FreePBX, etc). This means that you don’t usually have to pay for equipment (computers or phones) since your business might already have those in place, and you will only pay for the phone service. For instance, you can easily plug SIP trunks into an existing PBX system.

Your IP-PBX cost with Global Call Forwarding:

• PBX system:
  • Free open source PBX — $0
  • Existing on-premise PBX (no extra equipment needed) — $0-100
• Monthly phone service (VoIP or SIP trunking):
  • Global Call Forwarding VoIP service — starts at $7.95/month
  • Global Call Forwarding SIP trunking service — starts at $32.95/month
• Phones
  • Existing desk phones — $0-400
  • GCF softphone (can be used on computers, laptops) comes with our Outbound Calling service — starts at $25/month
  • Installation and setup fees — $0

Get IP-PBX from Global Call Forwarding

Want to learn more about cloud PBX solutions offered by Global Call Forwarding? Chat with our experts online or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171. We’d love to help you find the right business communication solution to improve caller experience and productivity.

Virtual phone numbers (also called hosted numbers or cloud phone numbers) can help your business expand its services and support to cover more countries and regions across the globe. All without needing to open physical offices in these locations.

Here’s an in-depth guide to the cost of virtual numbers. We discuss the factors contributing to the cost and include a list of virtual number costs for major countries around the world.

Virtual Number Cost: Factors to Consider

Virtual phone numbers are cloud-based business phone numbers that companies can use to reach customers in different parts of the world. Residents from these countries or regions can call your virtual number for free or local calling rates, and you can forward those calls to your business office or customer support center located anywhere in the world.

Because these numbers transmit calls over the internet, your business can use these numbers to connect with and offer customer support to global customers, even if you do not have a physical office in target regions.

Virtual numbers cost between $7-$20 / month per number, but this varies from country to country.

How much virtual number costs depends on the following factors:

1. Call volume
Your business’ monthly call volume greatly influences your monthly bill. So consider, how many calls do your teams need to make on a regular basis — separately or simultaneously? And how much call time do you expect?

2. The location of the caller
One of the most significant factors contributing to the cost of a virtual number is the caller’s location; in other words, where your callers are calling from. For example, calls from one country may ring more expensive than calls from another. Additionally, the device — landline, mobile, or payphone — they call from also affects the cost.

3. The type of virtual number
There are a few different types of virtual numbers, namely toll-free, local, national, international toll-free, and mobile. Each number type has a different cost. Generally, local and (international) toll-free numbers cost less than national and mobile numbers. But the caller’s location can influence this, leading to some local and toll-free numbers costing more. It’s always a good idea to check with your provider which option is the most cost-effective when you buy hosted phone numbers.

4. Call termination (call forwarding costs)
Call termination is the process of forwarding calls from one provider to another. Your plan’s included minutes and an additional per minute rate depending on where your calls are forwarded. You do have the option to eliminate termination costs by routing incoming calls to a VoIP or SIP address instead.

5. Additional features and services
Premium add-ons and additional services can increase your overall cost. You should have the ability to get important premium features like outbound calling, IVR, call forwarding, etc., at a reasonable rate. If the prices for these services are too high, you may want to consider a different service.

Global Call Forwarding: Virtual Number Breakdown

Here, we break down our current virtual phone number costs for the most popular countries. We include our basic monthly plan, SIP trunking price, and forwarding rates:

*Note: Costs mentioned in this article are current at the time of publishing and may be subject to changes.

1. US Virtual Numbers
To buy a US phone number, you can review our rates below and sign up on our Pricing page. We offer:

2. Canada Virtual Numbers
With Canada virtual numbers, you can connect with locals in Canada and the United States. We offer:

3. Mexico Virtual Numbers
Mexico virtual numbers let you communicate with Mexico and US customers for low calling rates. We offer:

4. Germany Virtual Numbers
Connect with prospects and customers in Germany with Germany virtual numbers. We offer:

5. UAE Virtual Numbers
UAE virtual numbers can help your business offer sales and support to businesses and customers in the UAE. We offer:

6. UK Virtual Numbers
Use UK virtual numbers to extend your operations and services to the United Kingdom. We offer:

7. Australia Virtual Numbers
With Australia virtual numbers, you can connect with local companies, suppliers, vendors, and business contacts in the country. We offer:

8. Philippines Virtual Numbers
Buy Philippines virtual numbers and add locals to your customer base. We offer:

9. Malaysia Virtual Numbers
Bring in more sales from Asia by using Malaysia virtual numbers to work closely with Malaysian customers. We offer:

10. Hong Kong Virtual Numbers
Expand your reach in Asia with Hong Kong virtual numbers that give you access to potential Hong Kong and China customers.
We offer:

11. Singapore Virtual Numbers
With Singapore virtual numbers, your business can connect with locals in Singapore without needing a physical office or support team located in the country. We offer:

12. Indonesia Virtual Numbers
Use Indonesia virtual numbers to increase sales and offer customer support to local customers in the country. We offer:

13. Vietnam Virtual Numbers
Want to expand to Vietnam? Buy Vietnam virtual numbers and add a whole new customer base to your customers. We offer:

14. Japan Virtual Numbers
Get Japan virtual numbers and sell your product or service in Japan. We offer:

15. China Virtual Numbers
Use China virtual numbers to connect with customers, prospects, suppliers, and vendors in China. We offer:

16. India Virtual Numbers
Take your business to India with India virtual numbers. We offer:

Choose Your Virtual Phone Number Now!

Virtual numbers are a cost-effective and reliable tool to expand your business, reach global customers, and increase international sales. Global Call Forwarding offers a variety of international virtual phone numbers from more than 160 countries around the world. Browse our inventory and view virtual number costs on our pricing page. Have questions? Chat with our experts or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171.

No-code platforms have grown in popularity as they let businesses adopt new services and features without the hassle of hiring a full-fledged IT team and coding software from scratch. This lets businesses improve productivity and efficiency while reducing costs. So, what no-code solutions are available for business communication and why should you consider them?

Here’s a quick overview of low-code and no-code contact center and its features and benefits to businesses looking to upgrade their business phone system.

Low-Code/No-Code Platforms

Low-code or no-code platforms offer exactly that: little or no code needed for software development. This means that you can use the software without coding it in-house. The software provider takes care of the coding process and gives you a final product that you can use without the extra time or cost of hiring engineers to set the platform up for your needs.

Using No Code in a Contact Center

So, what is a no-code contact center solution? A no-code contact center is a type of CCaaS solution where you get access to ready-to-use contact center features and services. These features are designed to offer an alternative to complex processes and markup.

You can use and adjust these features as you like without worrying about fixing them up in the backend. This means that you can access advanced features and personalize your communication system as needed — all within an easy-to-use interface.

No-Code Contact Center Features

What makes a no-code contact center solution attractive is the set of features and services included that give your teams essential tools to effectively manage business communications. Check out the complete set of features available with Global Call Forwarding.

Here are the top no-code contact center features:

1. Business Phone Number Management

Depending on your business needs and reach, you may work with multiple business phone numbers for different regions and countries. As such, you will need a platform to easily manage your phone numbers and ensure they are working properly.

For example, your US-based customer may have clients across the UK. You might use country-specific phone numbers to communicate with these clients without either of you paying high international calling rates. And you might choose to route all incoming calls from those countries to your main US office. Additionally, you may want to forward calls that come in after-hours to your remote agents who are available during those hours. You can set all this up with a no-code contact center solution.

2. Manage Call Groups and Hunt Groups

Hunt groups and call groups are part of a line hunting, a common business phone system strategy. In line hunting, you set up incoming calls to connect to multiple phone lines or numbers in a call group. Calls can ring simultaneously on all lines or one at a time within this group. Such call management aims to ensure that someone is always available to answer the call and the caller does not have a long wait period.

You can create multiple groups in advance and add/remove users from a group as needed. Then, when you route calls or set up your IVR system, you can make use of these predetermined groups.

Examples: The US sales team may include salespeople in your US office(s). The UK customer service team may include customer service reps across UK office(s). You may even include remote agents or your BPO in this group during high call traffic periods, like the holidays.

3. IVR Menus and Trees

Most businesses that offer a variety of services use cloud IVR systems to manage incoming calls and transfer them to the most appropriate department or agent. A cloud IVR is an automated voice response system that answers the call, provides the caller with menu options, and then directs the caller to the desired department based on their input.

This complex process is made accessible in a no-code contact center solution. You can simply log into your dashboard, go to the IVR manager for the desired line, and create an IVR menu for each department or individual within a few clicks. For example, you can set it up to work as:

• Upon connecting, play “welcome message”
  • Then play “IVR voice menu”:
  • For company hours and address, press 1
  • To speak with an account representative, press 2
  • For customer service, press 3
  • For billing, press 4
  • To hear the menu again, press 9
  • To leave a voicemail, press 0
• Upon keypad input, send the caller to the next step:
  • 1 → play “update company hours message”
  • 2 → transfer call to “sales team” [sales team call group]
  • 3 → transfer call to “customer center” [customer service team call group, outsourced call center, or remote teams]
  • 4 → transfer call to “billing” [billing team call group]
  • 9 → play “IVR voice menu”
  • 0 → play “voicemail message” and send voicemail to inbox.

4. Call Flow Builder

A call flow builder is an interactive designer where you create custom call flows for your incoming calls. Basically, you get to map out what happens to a call when it comes in — Will callers hear a welcome message? Does the call get routed to a call group based on the time of the call or location of the caller? And so on.

When you intentionally set up call flows, you can control how the caller interacts with your business. This leads to responsive service, less turnaround, reduced wait/hold times, faster resolution, and happier customers.

Check out the popular call flow templates businesses use to efficiently manage their calls and improve caller experience.

5. Advanced Call Routing

Based on how your business operates and where your customers call from, you might need advanced and automated call routing to ensure someone is available to answer the call in the right time zone and language.

This is where call routing strategies and features come in handy. For example, Global Call Forwarding offers the following automated call routing options:

• Time-based routing — routes calls to specific locations or lines based on the time of the call
• Geographic call routing — routes calls to specific locations or lines based on the callers location
• Simultaneous ring — rings calls on multiple lines simultaneously
• Round robin call routing — sends calls down a line of agents within a call group
• Sequential routing — sends calls down a particular sequence of agents in a call group
• Holiday routing and schedules — custom routing schedules for holiday(s).

You can quickly set up rules and adjust as your needs and teams change. This flexibility makes advanced call routing a scalable no-code contact center solution as it adapts to a growing business.

6. Softphone App

Softphones are web-based phone apps that can be accessed as web extensions, desktop apps, or smartphone apps. You simply download the softphone to your device, enter your VoIP credentials (provided by your no-code contact center provider), and start placing calls via your business phone service.

Softphones come with their own set of features that let you save/update contact info, transfer calls to other departments and individuals, make in-network calls, and so on. Plus, since most softphones work with Android, Windows, and Apple, you can connect from any location and with any device, giving your teams unlimited flexibility.

Get No-Code Contact Center Solutions

Global Call Forwarding offers no-code business voice solutions for companies looking to upgrade their phone system and add VoIP functionality. Want to learn more about what we can do for your business? Chat with us today or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171.

Are your sales and customer support teams struggling with high call volume? Do they need to manage incoming calls from different locations? Is bad call handling leading to a dip in sales?

These are a few situations where effective call management can improve the productivity of your teams while also enhancing caller experience.

Call Management: Definition, Features, Benefits

What is call management? Call management is the process of managing inbound and outbound calls with the help of technology and systems.

By managing calls effectively, your business reduces the time spent on waiting in a call queue, dealing with the wrong department, or overburdening agents in a particular location.

Businesses can use call management software and technology to improve the way callers interact with their teams and improve efficiency and productivity. How? In this article, we will go over:

• What is Call Management, and Why is it Important?
• How Does Call Management Software Work?
• Call Management Features and Tools
• Benefits of Using a Call Management Software
• How to Improve Call Management for Business
• Choosing a Good Service Provider

What is Call Management?

Call management refers to handling incoming calls using technology and call center solutions to route them effectively. You can use call management software to intentionally decide how incoming calls will be handled in your business.

For example, your business might offer customer support for different regions and therefore have regional support centers. Call handling can determine the best way to handle these calls either by advanced routing or by using an automated call distributor.

Why is Call Management Important?

Most customers will hang up and cut off a call after just 0-5 minutes. One of the most common customer complaints is waiting in a call queue for long periods and dealing with a confusing automated voice system.

Customers who struggle to get support will find a new company with better customer service options. And your business will lose a valuable sale and customer. Part of building strong customer relationships is to make your business’ support team accessible and responsive. Customers need to know that your business and employees are reliable; this will make them comfortable doing business with you.

How Does Call Management Software Work?

Call management software comes with various tools and features to help you organize your call flows and manage the way callers interact with your business. You can get such software and features from a cloud phone service provider like Global Call Forwarding. These features are customizable and can be personalized to meet your business communication needs. And since they work over the cloud (using VoIP technology), you can use and manage them from any location.

Call Management Features and Tools

So, what to look for in a call management system? Each provider offers different features and tools within their call management solution. Here are the top features to look for:

• International Call Forwarding — Forward incoming calls to any location anywhere in the world.
• Advanced Call Routing — Route calls using predetermined rules and routing strategies.
  • Time-based Routing — Route calls based on the time of day the call comes in.
  • Geographic Call Routing — Route calls based on the caller’s location.
  • Sequential Forwarding — Send incoming calls down a line group, starting with the first person in line each time.
  • Round Robin Call Routing — Send incoming calls to a hunt group and the next person in line.
  • Holiday Call Routing — Use holiday schedules to route calls to different locations during holidays.
  • Simultaneous Ringing — Ring multiple phones with one number
  • Call Transfer — Manual call transfer.
• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) — Automated call distributor that routes calls to the right department based on predetermined rules.
• Call Flow Builder — Create custom call flows to handle inbound call volumes.
• Advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) — Automated voice response system to interact with callers and help them reach the right department.
• Hosted Call Recording — Record inbound and outbound calls and store them
• Call Tracking — Track where your calls are coming from (locations, campaigns, etc.)
• Call Detail Records and Monitoring — Information of all inbound and outbound calls to help calculate KPIs and metrics.
• CRM and Helpdesk Integrations — Integrate and connect different systems and applications to create one centralized business communication system.
• Softphones — Web-based phone application to let users place calls from any location and device.

Check out all the features offered by Global Call Forwarding.

8 Benefits of Using a Call Management Software

So, what can call management software do for your business?

1. Better management and handling of incoming calls
2. Improved caller experience with efficient call flows
3. Access to call handling features and tools
4. Reduced number of lost or abandoned calls
5. Access to analytics and reports
6. Improved employee performance
7. Low costs and increased productivity
8. Better customer service overall

How to Improve Call Management for Business

Whether your business experiences consistent high call traffic or fluctuating call volumes, you can use various call features and tools to manage your traffic better and improve caller experience. Here are some key tips to improving call handling for your business:

1. Integrate call features (routing, IVR, etc.) into your existing phone system
2. Use call tracking and call records to understand when and where your calls come from
3. Identify key high call volume periods (certain hours of the day, holidays, seasons, etc.)
4. Build custom call flows and map out how calls should optimally move within your system (check out our call flow templates for ideas)
5. Use advanced call routing to handle incoming call volumes.

Choosing a Good Service Provider

How to choose the right phone service provider for your call management needs? Research and compare. Look at what different cloud phone service providers have to offer and reach out to their representatives to learn more. Look for:

• Variety of features to meet your needs
• Easy to use service (request a demo)
• Reasonable and competitive prices
• Accessible and responsive customer support.

Want to learn more about call management features offered by Global Call Forwarding? Chat with our experts online or request a demo today!

Well-designed and efficient calls flows can help your business offer uninterrupted and reliable service when your customers need it the most. We’ve put together 6 call flow templates and examples to help you understand the different ways your business can manage incoming calls.

Creating the Right Call Flows for Your Business

In order to create efficient call flows within your business phone system, you first need to understand how a call flow works.

A call flow is a map of what happens to a customer call made to your business phone system. In other words, when a customer calls your business, how does the call move within the system? You want calls to move in an efficient way that helps the customer. This means fewer interruptions, less wait times, and accurate routing.

The purpose of call flows: to help the customers resolve their questions or queries quickly and in the easiest way possible.

It is important to pay attention to how calls flow within your business so that you can improve caller experience and provide better customer service to your customers.

What to Keep in Mind When Creating Custom Call Flows

How you set up your call flows depends on why people call your business. So, before you get started, you need to first identify what callers need from your business and how you intend to offer that.

Most call flows are simple and follow a standard structure. For example, if you have customers calling only for customer support, then your call flow is simple:

But if you have people calling for different reasons, you might need to create an IVR menu with options and a flow for each option:

A call coming into your business can move down different routes based on what your caller needs and what your business wants to provide over the phone. Here is an example of some call flow options available:

But this structure may be limiting for companies with more complicated communication systems, such as international companies and businesses with remote, distributed teams.

However, advanced cloud telephony tools and call routing techniques give businesses more options and flexibility to improve caller experience. These features let you add different call flow and routing rules to a business phone line so you can help callers reach the right department sooner.

You can use a call flow builder to control better how calls flow within your system.

6 Call Flow Templates to Help You Set Up Your Business Communication System

As we mentioned earlier, how you set up your call flows determines how customers interact with your business, which in turn improves customer satisfaction rates.

Let’s look at 6 call flow templates that can help with efficient call management:

1. Standard call flows
2. IVR user menu
3. Time-based routing
4. Geographic call routing
5. Holiday call routing
6. Advanced routing systems

1. Standard Call Flows

A standard call flow is a basic, simple, and straightforward flow structure. Here, your business may only have one business phone number and want to use phone support for customer service and sales.

You can set up the call flow to send the caller to either your main office or customer support center, where they interact with an agent. You may also only need someone to transfer the caller to the right department within the company. And if your teams are busy, you can set a backup that sends the caller to your voicemail box.

Use cases: Companies with small in-house and in-office teams (solopreneurs, start-ups) or small-to-medium-sized businesses.

2. IVR / Voice Menu

If you have to route calls to 2 or more departments and across locations, then you will need a more complex call flow with an IVR menu. An IVR system is an automated interactive voice response system that answers the call, welcomes the callers, determines the purpose of the call, and transfers them to the appropriate department or person.

You can set up the call flow to start with the IVR greeting, followed by menu options such as press 1 for sales, press 2 for customer support, and so on. Then, based on the caller’s input (the number they press), they will branch out into the next part of the call flow.

In the below example, the IVR call flow is set up as:

• To make appointments, press 1 > send call to the main office > if call fails to connect (line is busy), send calls to remote office as per time of day (TOD) routing rules
• For customer service, press 2 > send call to offshore call center
• For company hours and location information, press 3 > play pre-recorded message (announcement) with updated hours and location
• To leave a voicemail, press 4 > play pre-recorded voicemail message (after-hours message) and send voicemail to designated email.

This way, callers can choose the help they need, and be transferred to the right person or message.

Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.

3. Time-Based Routing

Businesses that have customers and teams spread across different locations and time zones will need to route calls from one location to the other effectively. These businesses might have different phone numbers for the countries or regions where they offer services and support. And you do not want your customers calling the wrong number or calling during off-hours and not getting support.

This is where time-based routing (also known as time of day routing) comes into play. You can use time-based routing to route calls to different locations and numbers based on the time the call comes in. Let’s work this through an example:

Your company’s main customer service is located in the US in the Eastern Standard Time EST (GMT-4). But you have customers in other US time zones such as Central Standard Time CST (GMT-5), Mountain Standard Time MST (GMT-7), and Pacific Standard Time PST (GMT-7).

If customers from these time zones call during their business hours, your customer service team might receive calls outside of their working hours. What happens to these calls? You have a couple of options. You can hire remote agents who handle calls made during off-hours. You can then forward incoming calls during those times to your remote agent list. Or, you can send those calls straight to voicemail with a message “Sorry, we’re closed for today but please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you soon.”

This way, customers calling at any time can still get some form of support.

You can use this type of routing to adopt a follow the sun support model and offer 24/7 uninterrupted service.

Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.

4. Caller ID Routing / Geographic Call Routing

Caller ID routing (also known as geographic call routing, location-based routing, and geo-routing) routes calls based on the caller’s location and caller ID. Businesses with global coverage will find this feature and call flow template helpful in organizing their calls effectively.

With caller ID routing, you can decide what happens to customers calling from specific countries, cities, or regions. In the below example, we demonstrate what happens to calls coming in from different countries:

• Calls with an Indian caller ID (dialing code +91) > send the calls to the APAC office
• Calls with an Australian caller ID (dialing code +61) > send the calls to the Australian office
• Calls with an UK caller ID (dialing code +44) > send the calls to the UK office
• Calls with an US caller ID (dialing code +1) > send the calls to the US office

And for all calls, if the call fails to connect (i.e. lines or agents are busy), we play a pre-recorded voicemail message (after-hours / busy message) and send voicemail to the team’s email.

This way, callers get support in a time zone and even language they prefer.

Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.

5. Holiday Schedules and Routing

Holiday call routing lets your business create holiday schedules and call flows. In other words, you decide what happens to your calls when your teams are on holiday. This can be national holidays observed by countries or a particular employee’s vacation.

Each provider has this set up differently. With Global Call Forwarding, you start by creating holiday lists and schedules where you want specific call routing rules to apply. Then, you use our time of day routing feature, to decide what happens to calls within that particular holiday list.

In the below example, we create two holiday lists:
Summer hours (specific hours during specific time of the year)
National holidays (US-based national holidays).

Then, we decide what happens to the calls that come during the summer hours or national holidays. We can either route calls to:

• Remote offices open during the summer hours
• Agents in other countries who do not observe national holidays
• Pre-recorded voice message informing them about the online knowledge base or support center
• Voicemail

With this call flow, customers who need help even during a holiday can quickly get the support they need.

Use cases: Companies with global customers or local and remote teams spread across different locations.

6. Advanced Routing Systems

You can add advanced routing features to any of the above call flows. These features work alongside hunt groups or call groups. In other words, you can decide what happens once a call connects to a particular department or group.

You start with creating a group or list for each team or department — separate groups for each department or remote teams. Each group will have a series of numbers or phone lines, both in-house and remote. And then, you set call forwarding rules for that team.

Here are the top advanced call routing solutions:

• Sequential call flows — Incoming calls move down a predetermined list of available agents or employees. Every new call starts from the top of the line.
• Round robin — Incoming calls also move down a predetermined list but every new call goes to the next person in line.
• Simultaneous ring — Incoming calls ring on multiple phones and lines, which is everyone within a hunt group.

Adding these routing rules will help your teams manage incoming calls effectively and provide support quickly and accurately.

Improve Call Management with Call Flows

Ready to think about your business’ call flows and where you can improve call management? Start here! Global Call Forwarding has a call flow builder tool that can help you visualize and design realistic call flows (simple or complicated) to support your virtual phone system. Speak with our representatives or chat with them online to learn more!

Looking for a new business call forwarding service? While there are many call forwarding services in the market, you need to choose one that meets your communications needs and fits your IT budget.

Here we compare 11 best call forwarding services, so you know where to start when choosing a provider in 2024.

Choosing the Right Call Forwarding Service

Call forwarding is a cloud telephony solution that lets users automatically forward incoming calls to a different number, phone line, or location of choice. This enables employees and distributed teams to answer calls from any location or device and stay connected.

Call forwarding services give businesses the ability to communicate across geographical borders while expanding their reach and connecting with new customers.

What to Look for Business Call Forwarding Services

Choosing a call forwarding service can prove tricky when you are not entirely familiar with how the service works and what makes it reliable.

So, what makes a good business call forwarding service? Here are the top forwarding features to look for in your new call forwarding provider:

• International call forwarding
• Advanced call routing
• Call groups or hunt groups
• Follow the sun routing
• Find-me follow-me routing
• Business phone automation
• Forward-to-device
• VoIP/SIP forwarding
• Number porting

Note that most call forwarding features come free within a plan. So, watch for providers that attempt to charge highly for basic forwarding features.

How to Compare Best Call Forwarding Services

Since there are many call forwarding services out there, you need a system to determine which one works best for your business communication needs. When comparing the best call forwarding services for small business, consider the following:

• Geographical coverage: If you have teams and customers in different locations, you need to ensure your service provider has reliable coverage and geographical numbers in those areas.
• Pricing and subscription: Monthly fee for your number (if buying a new number) and forwarding service. This may include monthly calling minutes or talk time.
• Forwarding rates: This is the additional rate per minute for forwarding a call. It is not included in your monthly calling minutes and is typically a small additional charge.
• Feature set: The suite of features and tools offered.
• Setup fees: Additional charges to set up your forwarding system.

11 Best Call Forwarding Services for Business

Here we list the 11 best call forwarding services for businesses with information about features and pricing so that you can make an informed decision:

• Global Call Forwarding
• Grasshopper
• GoTo
• Talkdesk
• Google Voice
• Dialpad
• Freedomvoice
• Talkroute
• Ringcentral
• Numberbarn
• 800.com

*Note: Costs mentioned in this article are current at the time of publishing and may be subject to changes.

Choosing Global Call Forwarding

Part of reviewing best call forwarding services is to reach out to their teams and understand how exactly they can help your business run efficiently. To learn more about the international call forwarding service offered by Global Call Forwarding, speak with our experts today! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.

As a business, one of your primary goals is to make people comfortable with your products and services, staff, and company. And part of creating that environment of comfort and reliability is making it easy for them to connect with you.

This is why it is crucial to effectively manage incoming calls. A caller waiting in line for an hour or lost within an automated menu will lead to a disgruntled and unsatisfied customer. And your business cannot afford that.

You can avoid this by preparing for it. How? Create custom and efficient call flows to help callers move down the call flow process and arrive at the right destination.

Understanding Your Business’ Call Flow

Taking time to understand your business’ call flow can help you manage incoming calls more smoothly and improve caller experience. But how?

First, let’s start with: What is a call flow?

A call flow is a map or diagram of how incoming calls will be managed once they enter your business phone system. In other words, a call flow details what happens when a customer or prospect calls your business and how they move down the call process to the right person for assistance.

This process or flow varies based on what options a business wants to offer its callers. For example, are people calling only for customer support, or are they looking for more departments? Do you have multiple offices to route calls to? Do you need to route phone calls based on the caller’s location?

A call flow can help you map out the most effective way calls should move within the system so that your callers have the best experience.

What is the Purpose of a Call Flow?

The main purpose of designing a call flow is to manage incoming calls effectively by helping callers reach the right individual or department and get assistance quickly.

Customers calling a business do not want to be waiting in a call queue for a long time, and they definitely do not want to be bounced around from one department to another to resolve an issue. They want quick service with accurate information. It is your responsibility, as a business, to have the right tools in place to give them this uninterrupted and reliable service.

Mapping out your call flows will help you create an efficient call management system that works for both your business and your customers.

What Does a Call Flow Contain?

A call flow contains a variety of actions and interactions that decide how a call is handled. A call flow builder (cloud telephony feature) will let you control these actions and triggers so that you can create custom call flows for different business numbers and lines. Most call flows contain the following actions and interactions:

• Announcements
• Automated and attended call transfers
• IVR menus
• Advanced routing features
• Send calls to voicemail
• Send faxes to emails, etc.

You can use these different call flow features and triggers to design call flows that let your business offer reliable customer service, no matter where your teams or customers are located.

Related: 9 Benefits of Advanced Call Routing

What Steps are Included in a Call Flow?

When you start to design a call flow, you need to consider the following steps to determine how calls will move within your phone system:

1. Different phone numbers and lines involved
2. What happens when the line connects? Will callers hear an announcement or welcome message or an IVR menu with input options for different departments and scenarios?
3. What will the caller be required to do after the welcome message or IVR message?
4. Which options will be made available to the caller? Examples: speak with an employee, verify identity, activate/renew a service, leave a voicemail, etc.
5. Do you need any advanced routing systems in place? Geo-routing, time-based routing, round robin call routing, etc.
6. What departments will be included in the call flow? And what happens if the caller needs a department not listed or if they enter the wrong number?
7. What should happen if one of the options or triggers fails? Example: What if the desired team is busy and no one answers the phone for 5 minutes?

Here’s an example of steps included in a call flow:

Not sure where to start? Check out these call flow templates before you start mapping your own call flows.

Building Call Flows to enhance Caller Experience

Use the Global Call Forwarding call flow designer and IVR manager to create custom call flows for your virtual phone system. We provide this feature for free with our cloud phone number plans. Browse through our features or speak with our experts to learn more! Call us at +1 (561) 908-6171 or chat with us online.